Button



Sept. 4, 1934- J. A. DEVENDOR ET A1.

BUTTON Filed Jan. 8, 1934 l /my ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1934 l UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE` BUTTON John A. Devendor and William A. Devendor, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application January 8,1934, Serial No. 705,720 11 Claims. (Cl. 24-96) This invention relates to buttons and morel upon the cover fabric which is clamped between particularly to buttons of the class adapted to be the collet flange and the body. On the contrary, quickly and economically applied to wearing apany distortion which might occur would have parel, either for ornamental or utilitarian purexactly the opposite effect and tend to urge the poses, or both. collet flange outward into firmer gripping rela- C0 It 'is an object of the invention to effect imtion. provements in buttons which may be quickly and The formation of the prongs upon the collet as inexpensively applied to fabric by a simple clinchdescribed also makes possible the provision of ing operation. Buttons of this general charother novel forms of buttons which present atacter in the past have included a collet portion tractive and pleasing ornamental effects. 65

having an upturned marginal flange and having Other objects and advantages will hereinafter prongs struck from the intermediate portion of appear. the body and extending downward therefrom. i In the drawing forming part of this specifica- There is necessarily a limitation imposed upon tion and illustrating certain preferred embodithe length of prong which can be secured with a ments thereof: I construction of this kind sincethe prongs, if Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a button struck from radially extending sectors, must terembodying features of the invention; minate short of the center of the collet. Where Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the butthe prongs are struck from the collet body, moreton of Figure 1 taken on the section line 2-2 of over, a gap is formed in the body portion of the Figure 1, looking in the directionof the arrows; 75 collet so that it is impossible to provide a clinch- .Figure 3 is a plan view, partly broken away, ing or clamping surface to coact with the inillustrating another form of button embodying turned prongs in gripping the fabric to. which features of the invention; the button is attached. Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on In accordance with the present invention, prothe line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction s0 vision is made of a button body and a collet of the arrows; fitting therein, the collet being provided with a Figure 5 isa plan viewillustrating a further downturned flange and having prongs extending embodiment of the invention; downward from the free edge of the ange. Since Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the prong material in this kind of construction the section line 6--6 of Figure 5, looking in the 85 is not taken from the collet body there is no direction of the arrows; limitation upon the length of prong which may Figure 'l is a plan view of a still further form be employed, and prongs of suitable length for of button embodying features of the invention; use even where the button is to be applied to and thick fabric may readily be provided. The body Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on 90 portion of the collet, moreover, is not perforated the section line 8-8 of Figure?, looking in the by the formation of the prongs, and hence it is direction of the arrows. possible for the fabric to which the button is In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the butapplied to be firmly gripped between the inturned ton comprises a body member l having a down- 40 prongs and the collet body. y turned marginal flange 2. A fabric cover 3 ex- 95 A further desirable feature of one form of emtends over the top of the body member, down bodiment of the invention relates to the formaaround the marginal flange, and up into the holtion of the collet with a downwardly convex low'body. The marginal portion of-the cover body portion. The body portion thus presents fabric is gripped to the body by a downturned a lower surface for coaction with the inturned flange 4 provided upon a collect 5 which fits with- 100 prongs which may lie in contact with the normal in the body. The collet 5 is provided with downplane of the fabric to which the button is atwardly extending prongs 6 which, it will be obtached, or so close thereto that no substantial served, are formed from material external to the distortion of the fabric is involved when the incollet flange 4 and which, therefore, may be made turned prongs are pressed upward toward the of any length desired. l 105 button body. It is a further point with lreference The lower tip portions "I of the prongs 6 are to this construction that the button attaching .turned in slightly to facilitate the bending inpressure which is applied to the collet body when ward of the prongs when the prongs are driven the prong tips are pressed upward has notendagainst an anvil in the operation of attaching ency to cause the collet flange to release its grip the button to a garment or other fabric. 110

' holes pierced by the prongs grip against and it is desirable p is gripped between 1 this embodiment is 'I'he body portion 8 of the collet which lies Within the marginal flange 4 is displaced downward and desirably presents a downwardly convex lower surface. The lowermost portion of this surface is shown as substantially in the plane of the lower edge of the collet flangebut it may be displaced downward to a greater or lesserextent as desired. The downwardly displaced portion of the collet body provides surfaces in radial alignment with the prongs and closely adjacent to the fabric to which the button is attached, against which the prongs may be clamped .or clinched. 'I'he button is thus firmly and immovably held to the garment or other fabric to which it is applied and strain upon the fabric at the prongs is avoided.

When the downwardly displaced portion of the collet body is made convex as shownfthe pressure exerted by the prong clinching anvil can have no tendency to contract the collet andcause release of the cover material.

While the button is susceptible of many uses, one important use is the attachment of it to caps atthe point where all of the panels of the cap come together. In such a location the numerous pieces coming together form a bunch or knot and the fabric is quite thick so' that the long prongs affording firm securement of the prongs to the fabric is very desirable. 'I'he fact that the the lower face of the collet body is very useful in this connection also, since the cap panels are narrow at their point of union to avoid strain at the openings in the fabric formed by the piercing action of the prongs.

The embodiment of Figures 3 and 4 is generally similar to that of Figures l and 2. This embodiment differs from that of Figures 1 and 2, however, in that the body la is provided with a central opening 9 through which the top surface of the collet may be seen. Where this construction is used the collet body 8a is desirably flat and may be enameled or otherwise ornamented so that a pleasing combination is presented to view. The collet body is not required to be perforated. and may therefore be caused to present a smooth, unbroken surface to view. The cover fabric 3a has the inner marginal portion thereof gripped between thebody member la andthe collet body 8a, and the outer marginal portion thereof gripped between the downturned flanges of the body and collet, 2a and 4a. As before, the collet is provided with downturned prongs 6a.

In this instance no downwardly convex gripping surface is provided for coacting with the prongs, but this feature is not necessary for all purposes to which the button may be put. The body of the collet desirably lies in juxtaposed relation to the body member, so that it grips the inner margin of the cover fabric securely. Such a construction is readily provided in conjunction with the provision of the pronged, downturned flange, since it involves no displacement of the collet body from the normalplane thereof.

In the embodiment 1b is also perforated,v and it is-provided with a. downturned inner flange 10 as well as a downturned outer flange 2b.- The cover fabric 3b has its inner marginal portion extended downward around the innerfflange 10 and between the collet body 8b and the lower face of the top o1' the body member 1b. 'I'he outer margin of the cover fabric the body flange 2b.and'the downturned collet flange 4b as before. When thereof. The body member vber which extends downward at its margin into yfabric extends outward structures.

of Figures 5 and 6 the body.

employed, a portion ofthe4 fabric to which the button is attached shows through the central opening of the button. The downturned collet flange 4b has prongs 6b extending downward from the free margin thereof, as in the other embodiments described. In this embodiment the prongs may be clinched or clamped against the downturned flange 10 of the body 1b.

In the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8, a body portion 8c of the-collet 5c is provided with a raised central portion 1l which is surrounded by an annular, downwardly convex portion l2. A piece of covering fabric 13 extends over the collet and down around `the downturned flange 2c 1c is an annular memthe annular groove or valley formed in the upper face of the collet body 8c. A piece of cover fabric 3c has its inner margin received between the inner, lower face of the body member 1c. This and downward around the flange 2c of the body 1c and T'thence upward between the flanges 2c and 4cv of the body and the collet. The outer margins of both the cover fabric pieces 13 and 3c are clamped between the flanges 2c and 4c. Prongs 6c extend downward from the free edge of the downturned flange 4c ofthe collet. When the button is applied to a piece of fabric the prongs, after penetrating the fabric, may be turned clamped against the lower convex face of the annular portion 12 of the collet.

While we have illustrated anddescribed in detail certain preferred forms of our invention; it

upward and clinched or is to be understood that changes may be made therein and the invention embodied in other We do not, therefore, desire to limit ourselves to the specific constructions illustrated; but intend whatever form its principle may be utilized.

' We claim:

1. In a button, in combination, a hollow body having an inner body portion and a downturned peripheral flange, a collet therein, said collet substantially fitting the the inner body portion thereof and having a downturned marginal body flange and attaching prongs extending downward from the marginal flange, and a piece of fabric covering the body and having the marginal portion thereof gripped between the body and collet flanges.

2.In a button, in combination, a hollow body and a collet therein, said collet having a downturned marginal flange fitting within the body and attaching prongs extending downward from the marginal flange, the intermediate portion of the collet lying within the flange having a downwardly projecting boss adapted to coact with the clinched prongs in clinching the material to which the button is applied.

3. In a button, in combination, a downwardly concave hollow body having a downturned peripheral flange, and a collet therein, said collet having a downturned marginal flange fitting within the body and bearing against to cover our invention broadly in flange fitting within the member within the body also having a down-.-

turned marginal flange, and a fabric cover for the body member having marginal portions thereof gripped between the body and collet flanges, said collet having attaching prongs extending downward from the marginal ange thereof and having a portion within the collet displaced downward and providing a downwardly convex surface for coacting with the prongs.

5. In a button, in combination, a body member having a downturned marginal flange, a collet member within the body also having a downturned marginal ange, and a fabric cover for the body member having marginal portions thereof gripped between the body and collet anges, said collet having attaching prongs extending downward from the marginal flange thereof and having a portion within the collet displaced downward substantially into the plane of the lower edge of the collet flange to provide a downwardly convex surface for coacting with the prongs.

6. In a button, in combination, a body member having a. central opening and a downturned marginal flange, a collet .having a body portion, a downturned marginal flange and prongs extending downward from the iiange, a fabric cover applied to the body member 'and having a marginal portion thereof gripped between the inner margin of the body member and the body of the collet and an outer marginal portion gripped between the downturned ilanges of the body member and the collet. A

1. In a button, in combination, a body member having a central having an imperforate body body member and portion disposed substantially in juxtaposed relation to the body member, a downturned marginal flange fitting withinthe peripheral flange of the body member and prongs extending downward from the flange, and apiece of fabric covering the marginal portion thereof gripped between the body and collet anges.

8. In a button, in combination, -a body member having a central opening and inner and outer the body and having downturned anges, a collet having a body por-` tion received between said flanges, said collet having a downturned marginal `ange embraced by the outer flange of the body member and prongs vextending downward from said collet opening and a downturned' peripheral flange, and a collet fitting within the extending downward from said collet flange and adapted to be pressed inward and upward against the inner flange of the body member, and a fabric cover having marginal portions thereof extended around the inner and outer flanges of the body member and clamped between the body member and the collet.

-10. In a button, in combination, a body member having a central opening therethrough and a downturned marginal flange, .a collt having a central boss extending upward through the opening of the body member, an annular downwardly displaced portion surrounding the boss, a downturned fiange fitting within the flange of the bod-y member and prongs extending downward from the collet'fiange and adapted to be pressed inward and upward against the annular downwardly displaced portion of the collet body.

11. In a button, in combination, a body memdownturned marginal flange, a collet having a central boss extending upward through the opening of the body member, an annular downwardly displaced portion surrounding the boss, a downturned flange fitting within the flange of the body member, prongs extending downward from the collet flange and adapted to be pressed inward and upward against the annular, downwardly displaced portion of the collet body, a fabric cover for the body, and a fabric cover for the collet, the former cover having an inner marginal portion gripped between the body and the collet and both covers having outer marginal portions gripped between the downturned flanges of the body and the collet. 

